What is Domain Rating?
Domain Rating (DR) is a metric created by Ahrefs that measures the strength of a website's backlink profile on a scale from 0 to 100. The higher your DR, the more "authority" your site has in the eyes of search engines.
But here's what most people get wrong: DR isn't a Google metric. It's a third-party approximation of how strong your backlink profile is. Google doesn't use DR directly in their algorithm.
So why should you care about it?
Because DR strongly correlates with ranking ability. Sites with higher DR tend to rank faster and for more competitive keywords. It's a useful proxy for understanding your site's SEO strength relative to competitors.
Domain Rating vs Domain Authority: What's the Difference?
You'll often see two similar metrics thrown around:
- Domain Rating (DR) – Ahrefs' metric
- Domain Authority (DA) – Moz's metric
Both measure roughly the same thing: backlink profile strength. They use different methodologies, so a site might have DR 45 but DA 38. Neither is "better" – they're just different tools measuring similar concepts.
For consistency, I'll focus on DR since Ahrefs is the industry standard for backlink analysis.
How is Domain Rating Calculated?
Ahrefs calculates DR based on:
- Quantity of referring domains – How many unique websites link to you
- Authority of those domains – The DR of sites linking to you
- Number of outbound links – Sites with fewer outbound links pass more authority per link
The Logarithmic Scale
Here's something crucial to understand: DR is logarithmic, not linear.
This means:
- Going from DR 0 to DR 20 is relatively easy
- Going from DR 20 to DR 40 requires significantly more effort
- Going from DR 60 to DR 70 might take years of consistent work
Think of it like this: every 10-point increase requires roughly 2-3x the effort of the previous 10 points.
A Realistic DR Timeline for Startups
Based on what I've seen working with hundreds of founders:
| Timeframe | Expected DR | What It Takes |
|---|---|---|
| Month 1-3 | DR 5-15 | Basic directory submissions, a few guest posts |
| Month 3-6 | DR 15-25 | Consistent link building, quality content |
| Month 6-12 | DR 25-35 | Sustained effort, some high-authority links |
| Year 1-2 | DR 35-50 | Dedicated SEO strategy, brand mentions, PR |
| Year 2+ | DR 50+ | Major brand, significant media coverage |
These are rough benchmarks. Your mileage will vary based on niche competitiveness and link building intensity.
Why Your Current DR Might Be Low
If you've just launched or your DR is stubbornly stuck, here are the common culprits:
1. You're Brand New
Every site starts at DR 0. Google and Ahrefs need time to discover and evaluate your backlinks. Even with active link building, it takes 2-4 weeks for changes to reflect in your DR.
2. Not Enough Referring Domains
This is the #1 factor. You might have 50 backlinks, but if they're all from 3 websites, your DR won't budge. Ahrefs heavily weights the number of unique domains linking to you.
3. Low-Quality Backlinks
100 links from DR 5 sites won't help as much as 10 links from DR 50+ sites. The authority of linking sites matters significantly.
4. Your Links Are Too New
Ahrefs updates DR periodically, not in real-time. New backlinks might not be reflected in your DR for 2-4 weeks.
How to Increase Your Domain Rating: A 90-Day Plan
Let me walk you through a practical plan to boost your DR. This isn't theory – it's what actually works.
Phase 1: Foundation Building (Days 1-30)
Goal: Establish a baseline of quality backlinks from diverse domains
Action Items:
1. Submit to 100+ Directories
This is the fastest way to get diverse backlinks from authoritative domains. Quality directories like Product Hunt (DR 91), SaaSHub (DR 75), and BetaList (DR 74) can give you immediate DR boosts.
The catch? Manual submission takes 50-70 hours. You can either:
- Do it yourself over several weeks
- Use our done-for-you service to handle it in days
2. Create a "Link Magnet" Asset
Build one piece of content specifically designed to attract links:
- Industry statistics/research
- Free tool or calculator
- Comprehensive guide (like this one)
- Original data or survey results
3. Set Up Your Profiles
Claim your profiles on platforms that allow links:
- Crunchbase (DR 91)
- LinkedIn Company Page (DR 99)
- GitHub (DR 96) – if applicable
- Twitter/X (DR 94)
These don't directly boost DR much, but they establish your digital footprint.
Phase 2: Active Outreach (Days 31-60)
Goal: Earn high-quality backlinks through proactive effort
Action Items:
1. Guest Post on 3-5 Relevant Blogs
Target blogs with:
- DR 40+
- Audience overlap with your target customers
- Active engagement (comments, social shares)
One quality guest post can move your DR more than 20 directory submissions.
2. Start HARO/Connectively Responses
Spend 30 minutes daily responding to journalist queries. Landing one mention in Forbes or TechCrunch can significantly impact your DR.
3. Broken Link Building
Find broken links on high-DR sites in your niche. Create content to replace what's missing. Reach out offering your content as a replacement.
4. Podcast Appearances
Podcast show notes almost always include a backlink. Look for podcasts in your niche accepting guests.
Phase 3: Scale & Optimize (Days 61-90)
Goal: Double down on what's working, build systems
Action Items:
1. Analyze Results
Check which strategies produced the best links:
- Which directories actually got approved?
- Which guest post pitches worked?
- What HARO queries led to placements?
2. Build Relationships
By now, you've connected with bloggers, journalists, and other founders. Nurture these relationships. They're your ongoing source of link opportunities.
3. Create a Monthly Rhythm
Sustainable DR growth requires consistent effort:
- Weekly: 5-10 HARO responses
- Bi-weekly: 1 guest post pitch
- Monthly: Follow up on pending opportunities
4. Monitor Competitor Links
Use Ahrefs to monitor competitors' new backlinks. When they get linked somewhere, you can often get linked there too.
Quick Wins: Fastest Ways to Boost DR
Need faster results? Here are the highest-impact, lowest-effort activities:
1. High-DR Directory Submissions
The single fastest way to establish baseline DR. Our directory submission service gets you listed on 100+ directories with DR 20-90+.
2. Podcast Guesting
Podcast hosts link to guests in show notes. Search "[your niche] + podcast + looking for guests" to find opportunities.
3. Roundup Posts
Contribute quotes to "expert roundup" posts. Search "[your niche] + roundup" to find bloggers collecting expert opinions.
4. HARO Featured Snippets
Some HARO placements include links, others don't. Prioritize queries that explicitly mention they'll link to sources.
5. Resource Page Inclusions
Find resource pages in your niche and reach out for inclusion. These are often DR 40-60 educational or industry sites.
Common DR-Building Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Chasing DR Over Relevance
A DR 30 backlink from a site in your exact niche is often more valuable than a DR 60 link from an irrelevant site. Don't sacrifice relevance for metrics.
Mistake 2: Ignoring Anchor Text Diversity
If all your backlinks use the same anchor text (e.g., your main keyword), it looks unnatural to Google. Aim for diverse anchors:
- Brand name: "VibeDirectories"
- Generic: "click here," "this site"
- URL: "vibedirectories.com"
- Keyword variations: "startup directory," "directory submission service"
Mistake 3: Buying Links
Paid links violate Google's guidelines. If caught, you risk manual penalties that tank your rankings. Not worth it.
Mistake 4: Expecting Overnight Results
DR doesn't update daily. After building links, wait 2-4 weeks before expecting changes. Patience is essential.
Mistake 5: Stopping Once You Hit a Target
SEO is never "done." Competitors are constantly building links too. Maintaining DR requires ongoing effort.
How DR Impacts Your Rankings
Let me be direct: DR alone doesn't rank your pages. But it influences several things:
1. Crawl Budget
Higher-DR sites get crawled more frequently. Google pays more attention to authoritative sites.
2. Indexing Speed
New pages on high-DR sites get indexed faster. This matters for time-sensitive content.
3. Ranking Potential
A page on a DR 50 site can potentially rank for more competitive keywords than the same page on a DR 10 site.
4. Trust Signals
Users (and Google) associate higher authority with more trustworthy content.
Tools for Tracking Domain Rating
Free Options
- Ahrefs Webmaster Tools – Free access to your own site's DR and backlink profile
- Ubersuggest – Neil Patel's tool shows Domain Authority (Moz's equivalent)
- Small SEO Tools – Basic DR checker
Paid Options
- Ahrefs ($99+/mo) – Industry standard for backlink analysis
- SEMrush ($119+/mo) – Strong competitor analysis features
- Moz Pro ($99+/mo) – Good for Domain Authority tracking
For most startups, Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free) is sufficient to track your own progress.
What's a "Good" Domain Rating?
Context matters. Here's how to benchmark:
For New Startups (< 6 months)
- DR 10-20: On track
- DR 20-30: Doing well
- DR 30+: Excellent for your age
For Established Startups (6-24 months)
- DR 20-30: Average
- DR 30-45: Good
- DR 45+: Strong position
Compared to Competitors
Pull your top 5 competitors' DR. If you're within 10-15 points of them, you're competitive. If you're 30+ points behind, you have work to do.
The Relationship Between DR and Traffic
Here's something I see founders misunderstand: DR doesn't guarantee traffic.
I've seen DR 15 sites getting 50K monthly visitors and DR 50 sites getting 500. DR measures backlink strength, not traffic. Traffic comes from:
- Ranking for high-volume keywords
- Creating content people actually search for
- User experience that keeps people on site
DR is one piece of the puzzle. Don't obsess over it at the expense of content and product quality.
Conclusion
Domain Rating is a valuable metric for understanding your site's backlink authority, but it's not the only thing that matters. Focus on building a diverse backlink profile from quality, relevant sources, and DR will follow.
Here's your action plan:
- Week 1: Submit to directories (or let us handle it)
- Week 2-4: Create one link-worthy asset
- Month 2: Start guest posting and HARO
- Month 3: Analyze results and optimize
Remember: DR is a marathon, not a sprint. The links you build today compound over time. Start now, stay consistent, and you'll see results.
Questions about improving your DR? Hit me up on Twitter – always happy to chat SEO strategy.
